- Name
- Cape Gannet
- Latin Name
- Sula capensis
- Family
- Sulidae
- Length
- 84 - 94 cm
- Habitat
- Breed on Bird Island and Malgas Island from September to March.
- Migration
- Young birds seen from December to May migrate during the winter months up the east and west coasts.
- Bird Call
- The voice is a loud raucous 'kara-kara-kara-kara'.
- Number of chicks
- 1 chick.
- Breeding
- The single egg is incubated by the birds' feet. It is initially bluish-white but later becomes dirty and covered in guano.
- Immature Description
- Immatures all-dark initially, heavily spotted and speckled all over, body, head and neck, becoming white in that sequence.
- Adult Description
- Unmistakable, large black and white seabird with yellow head and hind neck, at close range with distinctive black lines on bill and face, plus a long black line down centre of throat. The Cape Gannet is a large white marine bird with long wings, completely webbed toes and pointed bill; nostrils not visible; tail feather not so stiff as in Cormorants and Pelicans.
- Status
- Common or locally abundant resident.
- Distribution
- A common off-shore species, resident throughout the year on the west and southern coasts. Found in coastal waters throughout the year as far as 160 kms offshore.
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